The present invention relates to a control apparatus of a drive motor for a sunroof device, which controls the drive motor to selectively open and close an opening and closing body of, for example, a roof glass of an automobile, the sunroof device, and a method for controlling the drive motor for the sunroof device.
In the prior art, a control apparatus of a drive motor for selectively opening and closing an opening and closing body of, for example, a roof glass of an automobile has been disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Utility Model Publication No. 5-41922. The opening and closing control apparatus of the opening and closing body disclosed in the above publication includes a control circuit provided with an opening relay, which supplies drive current to rotate a motor in a direction to open the opening and closing body, and a closing relay, which supplies drive current to rotate the motor in a direction to close the opening and closing body. A resistor is located between the closing relay and a battery, which supplies drive current to drive the motor.
That is, the resistor located between the closing relay and the battery reduces the drive current supplied to the motor when closing the opening and closing body as compared to the drive current supplied to the motor when opening the opening and closing body. Therefore, the operating speed of the opening and closing body during a closing operation is less than the operating speed of the opening and closing body during an opening operation. This suppresses catching force when a foreign object gets caught by the opening and closing body. The catching force corresponds to a load applied to a foreign object when the foreign object is caught between an opening portion formed in a roof panel of a vehicle and the opening and closing body located corresponding to the opening portion.
The opening and closing control apparatus for an opening and closing body disclosed in the above publication slides the opening and closing body rearward of the vehicle.
In a sunroof device in which an opening and closing body tilts, when the opening and closing body is tilted up while the automobile is traveling, pulling-up force due to a negative-pressure is applied to the upper portion of the opening and closing body and a swirl is generated at the rear end of the opening and closing body. The opening and closing body thus receives upward force as if the opening and closing body is pulled or pushed upward. The upward force increases as the traveling speed of the vehicle increases.
Therefore, in a case where the closing speed of the opening and closing body is set to a constant speed (constant torque) as in the apparatus of the above publication, if the operating speed (rotational speed of the motor) is set based on the condition when the vehicle is traveling at a high speed, the catching force may become excessive when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed. Contrarily, if the operating speed (rotational speed of the motor) is set based on the condition when the vehicle is traveling at a low speed, closure force when the vehicle is traveling at a high speed may become insufficient.